It’s Spring, a Time for Love and Babies

Spring is traditionally considered a time for babies of all species to be born and for love to bloom. That’s never been so true for me as it is this spring.

First of all, my husband and I celebrated our fifth anniversary earlier this week. I can say without reservations our relationship gets better and better with age.

Gailey at a show a few years ago, Photo by Showcase Imagery

For the past several months, my trainer and I have been discussing the possibility of breeding my mare, Gailey. At this time in my life, I have no interest in breeding horses and raising a baby. Yet, I’d love to see Gailey with a foal. She’d have a beautiful baby.

A few months ago Kari asked if she might lease Gailey for a year to breed her. Kari has been out of the breeding business for quite some time, but Gailey is such a lovely mare, she’s decided to give it a shot. We made an appointment with our mutual veterinarian. After checking her over, he announced that she was ovulating nicely for an older mare and everything seemed to be as it should. As far as her big leg and other issues, he didn’t feel the pregnancy would add any undue stress to her joints or cause any additional issues with the leg.

While Gailey is an approved Hanoverian, Kari called the Dutch registry to inquire as to what it would take to get her approved as a Dutch horse. After reviewing her papers, they said they’d accept her into the Dutch registry based on her papers and the Hanoverian approval.

 Kari talked to Iron Spring Farms and faxed them a copy of her papers. So it’s all arranged, next month my lovely mare will be bred to the MOST gorgeous Dutch stallion. UB40 (weird name, I agree). The contact person at Iron Springs was quite excited with the match as they’d crossed him with a few other mares from similar bloodlines and the results were outstanding.



UB40, Dutch Stallion standing at Iron Spring Farms



Gailey and UB40 will make the most incredible baby. Who knows, I might even take a chance myself and breed her next year.

On a non-horse-related front, I have other joyous news to report.

I never had my own children, but my former husband and I did have custody of his son, Brandon, when he was growing up. Yes, there are times I regret not having any of my own, as I’ve always craved a big family, but some things are not to be.

My new husband has three grown children. My attempts to establish a relationship with them have been met with polite disinterest, so I’ve resigned myself to anything but the most superficial relationship with the three of them. I reached this epiphany last summer after a very painful and sad process, but it freed me to give my love to others who would return it, rather than shun it.

It also freed me to write again, and I’ve completed three novels since then. My football hero romance titled Fourth and Goal will be released this Tuesday from Loose Id. By the way, football is my other passion next to my husband and horses.

I have since established a closer relationship with Brandon and his wife, who live about five miles from me. Brandon is estranged from his mother and has been for years, which is a sad but true fact of his life. His wife Jade’s mother died when she was three, and her father never remarried. The lack of a mother figure in either of their lives has allowed me to fill a role I’ve longed to fill for years. Brandon’s father (my ex) and my husband have become best of friends. In fact, we introduced my ex to his current wife. Our ability to be friends with each other, has allowed us to morph into this odd blended family made up of ex’s and current’s and step relatives, and we all get along famously. Brandon is the biggest winner of all because he never has to choose between his dad and me. He gets us both and our respective spouses.

You’re probably wondering what I’m leading up to. Well a few weeks ago, Brandon and Jade had a baby, my first true grandchild. I am absolutely ecstatic to have a grandson. I’ve never been much of a baby person; but after holding the little guy in my arms, that’s all changed. I even stayed in the room and watched him being born. What a treat for me. My hubbie and I are already planning his football career. 

I hope your spring is as full of love and life as mine.